There is no record of definit dates of travels of Guru Nanak towards
Middle East so much so that one historian says that Guru Nanak
started his travel in 1521 while the other says that he ended
his travel in 1521 in the same source of information, The
Encylopedia of Sikhism, published by the Panjabi University,
Patiaila. In this article it has been attempted to find out the
length of period of his travel in Middle East.

INTRODUCTION

Although it is well established fact that Guru Nanak (1469-1539
CE) has traveled extensively throughout the South Asia and Middle
East. Fauja Singh and Kirpal Singh, Sikh historians, have collated
the information from various sources into three major travels
as follows [5]:
From Talwandi to Sultanpur to Benaras to Dhubri to Assam to Dacca
to Ceylon to Ujain to Mathura to Talwandi.
From Talwandi to Kailash (Sumer) Parbat to Talwandi.
From Talwandi (some say from Kartarpur) to Hinglaj to Mecca to
Baghdad to Kabul to (Talwandi) Kartarpur.
Besides the above travels there are many short ones in Punjab
and adjoining areas. The irony is that no definite dates for any
travel have been given by them.

Donald G Dawe [6, Entry – Nanak, Guru] also reported in
Encyclopedia of Sikhism that it is difficult to establish an exact
itinerary of Guru Nanak’s travel. Customarily they are grouped
into four lengthy journeys (Udasis) to the east, south,
north, and west. He further said that Guru Nanak’s traveling
ended around 1521 CE with the establishment of Kartarpur. He had
also mentioned that Guru Nanak was an eyewitness to the havoc
created during the invasion of Saidpur (Now Eminabad) in district
Gujranwala, Pakishtan by Zahir ud-din Muhammad Babar in 1520/1521
CE.

According to Sahib Singh Sethi [6, Entry - Babarvani] the year
of destruction of Saidpur is 1521. This is based on his interpretation
of so-called Babarvani (Babarbani). I used the world
‘so-called’ because there is no such title for any
of three Bani (Sabds) compiled in the Aad Guru Granth Sahib [2]
in which the attack of Saidpur and its destruction have been described
by Guru Nanak. Although Donald G Dawe and Sahib Singh Sethi reported
the dates of attack on Saidpur as 1520 and 1521 but Sri Ram Sharma
[6, Entry- Babar, Zahir ud-din Myhammad] said that Babar entered
in Punjab in 1523.

On the other hand Major Gurmukh Singh [6, Entry, Eminabad] wrote
that according to Bhai Bala Janam Sakhi after leaving
Sultanpur and before setting on his long travel Guru Nanak accompanied
by Bhai Mardana first visited Eminabad when this town was sacked
by Babar in 1521.

Just imagine how conflicting dates of Guru Nanak’s travel
towards Middle East are reported in the same source of information,
Encyclopaedia of Sikhism [6]. Two scholars reported the ending
of Guru Nanak travels at Saidpur in 1521 while the other reported
the beginning of the travel towards Middle East in 1521.

The detailed information about the route of Guru Nanak’s
travel towards the West (Middle East) has been reported by Fauja
Singh and Kirpal Singh [5] and Dr Trilochan Singh [7] without
mentioning any dates.

Dr Trilochan Singh [7, p-383 ] reported about Guru Nanak’s
stay in Baghdad according to Makke di Gosht as follows:“...These dialogues show two things. Firstly they reveal
a very close affinity between monotheism and ethical and spiritual
doctrines of Islam and Sikhism, a fact which has been clouded
by unhappy political relations between the Sikhs and Muslims of
Punjab some time past, and serious estrangements after partition
of the country (India). Secondly they reveal Guru Nanak’s
profound knowledge of the doctrines of Islam. He was able to establish
that his religion was something quite distinct and different from
the popular orthodox Hinduism. As it had a close affinity to Islam,
they also felt he was reviving the original spirit of Islam in
his own way. These dialogues also show the immense spiritual power
he exercised over the people of that period.”

Rukn-ud-din has written a lot about Guru Nanak and in one of
his writings he pays following glowing tribute to Nanak’s
learning, fearlessness, and character [7, p-390-391]:“Nanak Faqir attained proficiency in all knowledge and
especially in the literature of Islam, and the commentary on Koran,
the religious beliefs and Arabic and Persian literatures, and
was thoroughly advanced in them. He fought to finish oppression
which was prevailing in the world. He was the standard-bearer
of Truth and eradicator of the false. He would get the poor his
rights and smash the vanity of the proud. He was the best specimen
of piety and of a traveller.” (Plate VI in Ref. 7).
“His morality was like a pure soul containing chosen
and transparent gems, and his soul was so transparent as if it
was unconcerned, having no connection whatever with insipid and
tasteless things of the world. The Baba’s charming and animate
talk still rings into my ears. He would cure the sick, and serve
the fakir and the learned.” (Plate VII in Ref. 7).
He used to compose poems* in Arabic and liked men of letters and
poets. His thoughts provided basis to every literature and every
poet, the glory of which is reflected in his poems. The rhyme
itself was attracted towards his thoughts as if they were a magnet.”
(Plate VIII in Ref. 7)
*The irony is that no such poems of Guru Nanak written in Arabic
or Persian are available except a few reported by Dr Trilochan
Singh in his book [7].

However, if we look into information in Makke di Gosht
as reported by Dr Trilochan Singh and glowing tribute for Guru
Nanak as reported by Rukn-ud-din it becomes clear that Guru Nanak
might have stayed in Baghdad (Middle East) for a considerable
long time.

Dr Trilochan Singh [7] reported that there is a stone not far
from the Tigris, on which Guru Nanak sat everyday and delivered
his inspiring sermons. Every day, the Dastgir Pir, and Bahlol
Dana, another Sufi saint, sat near the Master, imbibed every word
of his wisdom. There were illuminating discussions, inspiring
songs, and mystic communion between the Master and his admirers.
When Guru Nanak came away Pir Bahlol Dana never forgot that the
vision and mystic illumination and he sat there in front of the
stone with a few personal relics that the Guru had left, for sixty
long summers and winters. When he died he asked to be buried near
the place sanctified by the holy feet of his Master, Baba Nanak.
On the stone his disciples engraved the story. There were two
inscriptions one out side the shrine and one on the stone. The
one on the stone is still there and the other has faded away or
gone with the demolition of the wall. The present inscription
is in Arabic and Turki as shown in following Figure 1.

Its free translation given by Dr Trilochan Singh is as follows
[5]:

“Behold, a wish has been fullfilled by Holy and High
Providence. That the building of Baba Nanak has been newly built
with the help of seven aulat (great walis). That the happy murid
of God (Baba Nanak) has started a fountain of grace issuing new
water in the land.” 917 Hijri.

The same translation has been reported on Internet, which is
based on the papers by Sewaram Singh and Manjit Singh in 1969
[1, 4]. But Major Gurmukh Singh [6, Entry– Baghdad] has
interpreted it differently: “Look what was wished by the Glorious Lord in His Majesty—that
a new establishment be built for the saint Baba Nanak—The
seven gave help and there came this chronogram: The blest disciple
performed a meritorious work. May He then recompense it?”

Gör ki murad eyledi Hazret-i Rabbi Mecid
Baba Nanak fakir ola ta ki imaret-i cedid
Yediler imdad edip geldi ki tarihine
Yaydi tevvab-i icrayina inni müridun said
Hicri
– 917Note: The letter ‘C’ without
any accent is pronounced as ‘J’ in Turkish language.
The above inscription was translated into English by Drs Mehmedoglus
as follows:Allah the Almighty willed that this monument or building
of humble Baba Nanak will be a new benevolent foundation for dissemination
of wisdom. Seven saints came to help to erect this building on
Hijri 917.
Note: The numeral ‘seven’ (7) is auspicious number
in Sufism.

The translation by Drs Mehmedoglus is quite differen than that
of given by others. I think the translation by Drs Mehmedoglus
is more appropriate for Guru Nanak’s mission for dissemination
of wisdom.

The date Hijri 917 is equivalent to 1511 CE according to the
Date Conversion System [3]. This has also been confirmed by Dr
Ali Ulvi Mehmedoglu from the writings at the end of the inscription.
It means that this inscription was inscribed either during the
time of Guru Nanak’s stay or after that when he left Baghdad.

Major Gurmukh Singh [6, Entry Baghdad] has tried to mess up the
date by reading it as 927 instead of 917 Hijri. He has really
messed up with the dates of travels of Guru Nanak since he reported
starting date as 1521 CE at Eminabad (6, Entry Eminabad) and then
he reads date of Baghdad as 927 Hijri which is 1520 CE. How it
could be possible. Is it not strange that in the same very important
source, Encyclopaedia of Sikhism [6], on Sikhism there is so much
contradiction on the dates of Guru Nanak in Middle East.

The above description about Guru Nanak’s stay given by
Dr Trilochan Singh is very confusing since he said that Bahlol
Dana had spent sixty (60) summers and winters (means 60 years)
after Guru Nanak left that place and he was burried at that place.
According to Dr Trilochan Singh [7] following writing was written
by Guru Nanak:“ ... The above verse was composed when I came to the
mausoleum of Bahlol Dana ‘Abbasi’ and stayed at ‘Abhasiya
Takiyah in Mullah Sihayat-ul-Khizram’ on my way back from
Mecca on 17th Rab-ul-Awwal, 917 Hijri. I stayed up to the month
on Rajab and then in the company of my dear friend Rukn-ud-din
I started towards Hindustan.” (Plate XII in Ref. 7)
.
This shows that Guru Nanak visited mausoleum of Bahlol Dana in
917 Hijri.

The above description also give the date as Hijri 917 which is
1511 CE. If it is so then the mausoleum of Bahlol Dana was already
built when Guru Nanak came to this place. Now the question arises.
How could it be possible to write such a praise about Guru Nanak
in the inscription shown in Fig 1. before the visit of Guru Nanak
at the mausoleum of Bahlol Dana.

On the other hand Dr Trilochan Singh [7] still mentioned another
date of 1517 CE when Guru Nanak was in Baghdad (or in Mecca) narrating
about the vastness of universe. Now here again there is a great
confusion about the date of visit of Guru Nanak with Bahlol Dana
in Baghdad. There is a difference 6 years between 1511 and 1517.

However, the date Hijri 917 (1511 CE) in that inscription (Fig.
1) is a proof strong enough to show that Guru Nanak was in Baghdad
around that year (1511 CE).

Let us discuss another episode of Guru Nanak:
It is well established fact that Guru Nanak was in Saidpur (Eminabad)
when Zahir Ud-din Mohammad Babar destroyed this town. The so-called
Babarbani of Guru Nanak describes in detail the destruction of
this town. It is also mentioned at the end of this Bani that it
happened in 1521 CE and the non-Sikh history also supports this
date of attack on Saidpur by Babar. So it is quite safe to say
that when Guru Nanak was returning from the Middle East travel
he was in Saidpur when Babar attacked this town in about 1521.
It is also mentioned that Guru Nanak was in the captivity of Babar
during this period at Saidpur [6].

Now if we take the date 1511 CE in the inscription of
Baghdad as true and then the date of Guru Nanak’s description
of Babar’s attack on Saidpur (Eminabad) around 1521 CE also
as true, then it means Guru Nanak was in Middle East and around
for about 11 years (1511-1521).

Besides Syed Chan Shah Pir Qadri [8] reported about Guru Nanak
as follows: “The Udasis or accounts of the travels of Baba Nanak
Sahib tell us that he traveled to Mecca for the Haj. He is also
said to have spent six long years in Baghdad,
which was then a major centre for the Sufis. Here he studied with
many leading Sufis of his day, and it is said that he was presented
by the Sufis of the city with a turban as a token of respect and
honor. In Baghdad , in the courtyard of the shrine of Hazrat Bahlol
Danaai, a famous Sufi, there is a shrine which mentions that Baba
Nanak Sahib stayed there. The shoes, the Muslim-style prayer mat
[ja-namaz] and the blanket of Baba Nanak and the copy of the Holy
Qur’an which he used to regularly read, are also preserved
there.”

Still in another article, “Guru Nanak Was he Muslim?”
Ajmad Qurashi reported Guru Nanak’s stay in Baghdad for
about 12 years (www.yanabi.com)

The above information of six years or 12 years of stay in Baghdad
supports our findings that Guru Nanak could have stayed in Middle
East at least for 11 years.

This is the longest period of his travel in the Middle East (Islamic
countries) but very little is known about his contributions about
this area and Islam in any of his writings except the Babarbani
[2]. Even the so-called Mekke Ki Gosht is not available
now and it has not been seen by Dr Trilochan Singh. However, some
of the writings of Rukn-ud-din and some of the so-called writings
of Guru Nanak as reported by Dr Trilochan Singh [7] are worth
to analyse to find out more about Guru Nanak’s mission in
Middle east.

CONCLUSIONS
• The above critical study clearly indicates that Guru Nanak
was in the area of Middle East for at least 11 years.
• He attained good knowledge of Arabic, Persian, and Kor’an.
• Nanak was known as Baba Nanak Faqir (‘Baba’
means ‘father’ or ‘elder’ and ‘Faqir’
means ‘a man full of humility’).
• It also indicates that during this long stay of 11 years
Guru Nanak must have visited the shrine of Maulana Jalalal ud-din
Rumi in Konya and Istanbul in Turkey, although no evidence could
be found till today (Please see Research Report by Prof Devinder
Singh Chahal and Dr Avtar Singh Dhaliwal in Understanding Sikhism
Res. J Volume 9 Number 2 at pages 7-23, 2007).